Advertising

[mwss77]

Evening all

What are your views on advertising via leaflets. Got my advert in local paper, appearing on Yell nextweek and business cards here nextweek.

Is leafleting an act of desperation or a good way of creating more exposure - just wanted your thoughts on this matter.

Mark

[Dan]

Checkout THIS topic found from the links HERE.

Leaflets have worked for many. The above is a more detailed plan of action though.

[frogeye]

Hi Mark

with no experience whatsoever of advertising - all I can say is what I and most of my friends do with advertising flyers - is to put them for recycling as they drop through the letterbox. That is those that can be bothered to use the letterbox - most are just thrown in near the front door. I think business cards look more professional although to be honest they tend to end up in the same pile. I always ask friends and relatives for names of people who have done good work for them. I know there are all sorts of suggestions on here as to the best places to put cards - best of luck
frogeye

[IvegotsTILE]

I think you have to be proactive,haven't had to use leaflets yet but if I didn't have any work on I'd be trying anything.Not everyone throws away leaflets,if their thinking of getting some tiling done and a tiling leaflet falls through their door they'll definately take a look.

You have to be willing to try anything to get work in,if you just sit on your butt waiting for your phone to ring your bills won't get paid

[Ric]

i've been putting business cards through peoples doors, like the idea of attaching them to flyers so grabs peoples attention then they can put card in wallet etc!!!

[frogeye]

Originally Posted by IvegotsTILE

I think you have to be proactive,haven't had to use leaflets yet but if I didn't have any work on I'd be trying anything.Not everyone throws away leaflets,if their thinking of getting some tiling done and a tiling leaflet falls through their door they'll definately take a look.

You have to be willing to try anything to get work in,if you just sit on your butt waiting for your phone to ring your bills won't get paid

I couldn't agree with you more - I was just passing comments on leaflets.
Taking into account all the hard work that Mark has already done, i.e. local paper, Yell and business cards, I think he could same himself time and money by holding off on the leaflets. As I said at the onset - I have no experience of advertising - apart from what I do with leaflets when they arrive through my letterbox. Business cards do get a 2nd look if I am honest, and I agree that if I was looking for a particular service at the time a 'card' landed on my doorstep, I might be interested. Certainly more interested with a professional attempt rather than some of the A5 rubbish (however well intentioned they may be) that turns up.

If work is tight and funds are low then yes there may be a call for leaflets - but it will definately be last on my list of options.
frogeye

[grumpygrouter]

Originally Posted by mwss77

Evening all

What are your views on advertising via leaflets. Got my advert in local paper, appearing on Yell nextweek and business cards here nextweek.

Is leafleting an act of desperation or a good way of creating more exposure - just wanted your thoughts on this matter.

Mark

When you start in business, it is of paramount importance to let people know that you are out there. You do this by any practical means possible, I don't think this equates to an act of desparation.

If potential customers don't know you are there, they can not ask you for your services. Get your exposure any way you can, the more you do it, the more people will know who you are and in return you will generate more interest.

Good luck.

Grumpy

[mwss77]

Cheers for all your views on this one. Take into account what you have all said but tend to agree with Grumpy. When starting out need to get maximum exposure to the area you are working in.

[Dan]

The topic related to advertising is in the Tilers Forums Arms (access only) So here's a copy.

Originally Posted by Tiler Burden

hope this helps people new to tiling find work.

an associate of mine in devon, went on a 1 week course plastering and within 11 months had 7 lads working for him!!

HE GOT THE WORKIN IN, THEN GOT PEOPLE WORKING FOR HIM, KILLING 2 BIRDS WITH ONE STONE...LEARNING AND EARNING!!

THIS IS HOW HE DID IT, HERE GOES...........


Flyers - I delivered on foot nearly 10,000 street by street in areas that had victorian houses which were terraced. My research suggested a return of only 1-2% but on that amount of leaflets its a lot of work...

My other trick with flyers was to hit the DIY superstore carparks near you on the weekend that got be several jobs.

Lastly keep an eye out in local rag for planning applications, if they not published here your local council offices will have them available for you to view. Then go and pop a flyer in or a letter of introduction ideal if you see someone has applied for planning on for example an extension.

Another thing I do is to put a flyer through the door of every house I see with a sold sign on it. People often like to get work done before they move in, I picked up a five bed house top to bottom through this only last month.

Promotions - I give a free £25 Marks & Spencer voucher to any customer who recommends me to a someone thus resulting in a job. This is so easy and appears a little more upmarket than just giving them 20 quid. This can build a fairly formidable sales force.

Universities - Have you got any near you if so contact their accomidation office and ask for a list of approved student digs. Next send a letter to property addressed to the landlord offering your services. Students are most competent at damaging properties.

Estate agents - Again letter of introduction or better still get shirt and tie on and visit them with a portfolio of work and some business cards. Lots of people do remedial work prior to selling. NB - if you get work from an agent make sure you give em a drink out of it.

Sign written van - This is most important, need not be too flash but get it done professionally. Make sure it says company name and plasterer in big letters and it MUST include a landline number. I have the federation of small businesses (FSB) logo on mine it gives customers confidence. Have a look at bottom of post hopefully there is a picture, it cost me £180 to have all four sides done.

Auctions - Most people at auctions are developers get to an auction and try and put yourself about you will soon get to know the regulars do one good job for sensible money and word will soon spread.

T-shirts - we always wear company shirts on site with name and number in big letters it looks the part and gives you an edge. I wear one about as often as I can especially insupermarkets and anywhere busy (sad I know!). People regularly stop me and ask for a card.

Business cards - I shift about 75 cards a month give them out whenever possible make sure they look professional and get them laminated so they last longer.

Mugs - bit of a weird one I know but I get them made by my mate for £4 each got company name and number on. Give them to customer when job done they less likely to lose a mug with your number on and it is subconsciously welded into their mind they will recommend you whenever someone talks about getting plastering done.

Independent builders merchants - get some cards in there and get them a crate of beer at xmas they will push your business if you are good.

Website - my website is very simple it is not designed to attract business but is there as a point of contact if people lose your number. All they have to do is stick my company name into google and up pops website with contact details.

British networking institution do a google search under BNI - bit of a pain in the ass but can work well in the early days.

Think your advert through also - I guarantee to give a same day quotation early bird catches the worm and all that.

My advert offers people the chance to visit work in progress and talk to happy customers works a treat. Also offer weekend work and evening work to fit around modern folks lifestyles.

When you go and quote a job make sure you sell the product to the customer from the moment you get in the door ie stress you do two coat work and your clean and tidy etc. In the early days I would get wife to ring me when I was with customer and ask for a quote gives real customer confidence to know you busy.





PPS My ad in the local rag is 2x3 cm box every night of week and costs me £400 a month but I get about three or four calls a day so it is worth it to me.

Cheers
ed

[tysfoot]

You should give me the leaflets to deleiver, im a part time post man

[Fekin]

I did leaflet drops door to door, back in August, and Im still getting phone calls from streets that I posted leaflets through.
Cheap to get printed, a bit of foot work, and plenty of calls from them.

Only other method of advertising I do is a free listing with Yell, and on Trusted tradesman.

[Leatherface]

Hello

From my own personal experience.........

Have been self employed for 2 and a half years now, always busy, so must be doing something right.
I have an old escort van - not sign written.
Have not spent one penny on newspaper advertising or yellow pages etc.
My name is not in the phone book.

From day one I used the phone book and Yellow Pages to find as many kitchen and bathroom shops as possible within a 10 mile radius & cold called as many as I could to find if they needed a tiler. got some success & again re-called a few months later - the result is that I have quite a few good firms for whom I do work ( also more whom I have f****d off because they messed me about or sent me to jobs with badly prepped walls )
I also make the point of chatting to EVERY tradesman I find on jobs and ask for their Business Card - some in turn ask for mine - Networking is the key to success, with no cost. All tradesmen will be happy to pass on the name of other good tradesmen. What goes around comes around.
Find ONE tile shop for your adhesive and use it regularily, build up a rapport with the staff. Buy them some beer at Christmas. Slip one of the guys behind the counter the odd £20 note occasionally.
Bear with it and before you know it you will have more work than you can cope with
If you do a good job - very important, then before long the work will come flooding in.
Do a bad job however and don't put it right, then you bad reputation will go around quicker than a dose of the clap & you will find that your phone stops ringing.